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President Bush Encourages Wetland Restoration and Wildlife Habitats

RENO, Nev. - Wrapping up potentially the most important meeting for the future of wildlife conservation and hunting, the White House announced higher incentives to encourage landowners to take part in a reforestation program aimed at establishing bottomland forests, which are extremely beneficial in providing wildlife habitats, restoring wetlands, controlling erosion and promoting carbon sequestration. Producers who enroll acres into the Conservation Reserve Program can now receive additional income for the CP31 reforestation practice. The Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV) is particularly suited for the CP31 practice and can play a key role in the reforestation needs of the country.

The announcement by the White House allows for landowners to benefit not only from higher federal incentives, but also from private incentives at the same time, such as those provided by the GreenTrees program.

"The government's announcement will unquestionably put more money in the landowner's pocket in exchange for their great land stewardship and conservation commitment." stated Carey Crane, founder of C2I, LLC that created and manages GreenTrees. "We commend President Bush and USDA Secretary Ed Schaefer for recognizing the role of reforestation to enhance our natural resources while encouraging the highest volume of public/private incentives possible for large-scale enrollment."

The increased CP31 incentives announced by the White House rank at the top of CRP payments available - 50 percent cost-share, a 40 percent PIP, $100 per-acre SIP, and a 120% soil rental rate. GreenTrees offers $350 per acre during the planting period, with added short and long-term income coming to the producer in addition to and independent of the 15 years of annual CRP payments. Collectively, the public and private incentives will provide the highest volume of incentives and incomes ever offered to landowners for enrolling acres into conservation practices.

Heading into the White House Conference on North American Wildlife Policy, highly recognized authorities from the conservation community, along with directors of state fish and wildlife agencies, acknowledged that that the economy of conservation could be heading into a danger zone, as impacts on fish and wildlife from habitat loss increase and state fish and wildlife agency budgets continue to shrink.

An unprecedented collaboration of federal, private and landowner partnerships will be needed for the success of the health of habitat, clean water and ecosystems in the LMAV region and nationally during the next ten years and beyond.

By reforesting acres, landowners will not only be improving their land for their own recreational enjoyment and value, but they will also be doing their part to improve the air, water and ecosystem of the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley. At the same time they will begin to grow a wildlife and conservation legacy for their kids and grandkids.

For more information about CP31 enrollment, landowners should contact their county FSA office. For more information about GreenTrees, contact Page Gravely, Senior Director for GreenTrees at 540-687-8959 or visit www.green-trees.com.

Media Contact:
Page Gravely, Senior Director for GreenTrees at 540-687-8959 or visit www.green-trees.com.